Patna/Gaya: Two decades after losing his right leg in a landmine blast during a counter-insurgency operation in Jammu and Kashmir, Indian Army Subedar Soman Rana has added a new chapter to his remarkable journey by winning a gold medal in the F-57 shot put event at the Commonwealth Games.
The soldier from Gaya, Bihar, secured the title with a best throw of 13.40 metres, marking a landmark achievement in his international para-athletics career.
From Battlefield Injury To Sporting Success
Soman Rana was critically injured in 2006 while participating in a search operation in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir, where a landmine allegedly planted by terrorists exploded beneath him.
The blast claimed his right leg, but Rana chose not to let the injury define his future.
With the support of the Indian Army, he began his journey into para-sports, training rigorously to compete at the highest level. Ahead of the Commonwealth Games, he reportedly trained for eight hours a day at the Army’s training centre in Pune.
Gold In The F-57 Category
According to Hamid Ali, Secretary of the Bihar Para Throwball Association, Rana won the gold medal with a throw of 13.40 metres in the F-57 category, which is meant for athletes with lower-limb impairments or limb loss while retaining full upper-body strength.
Ali said Rana had spent several months preparing at the Army’s training camp in Pune before the competition.
Army’s Paralympic Node Played A Key Role
Following his recovery, Rana was encouraged by fellow Army para-athletes to take up competitive sports.
With the backing of his battalion and senior Army officers, he joined the Army Paralympic Node in Pune, a specialised rehabilitation and training centre that helps soldiers injured during combat or military service pursue careers in para-sports.
The training programme proved to be a turning point in his sporting career.
Celebration In Gaya
News of Rana’s victory sparked celebrations in Lakkhibagh, his hometown in Gaya district.
His father, Son Bahadur Rana, is a farmer, and residents of the locality welcomed the achievement as a moment of pride for Bihar.
Calling him a role model, Hamid Ali said: “Soman Rana is an inspiration for the youth. He has brought glory to India by winning a gold medal; no amount of praise is enough for such a brave soldier.”
Medal-Winning Career
The Commonwealth Games gold adds to an impressive list of achievements for Rana.
He previously won:
- A silver medal at the 2023 Asian Para Games in China.
- A gold medal at the National Games.
- A gold medal at the Khelo India Games.
- He also finished fifth in his event at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
His latest triumph further cements his status as one of Bihar’s leading para-athletes and highlights a journey that has taken him from the battlefield to the top step of the podium.
